Hope of Morning
by LadyHitachiin
Summary: The first memory she had was one of blood. Experiments and then being thrown down into the underground. She hated it, but within that dark and cold place, she had met him. He had given her wings and she gave him her loyalty.
1. Into the New World

Hope of Morning

Romance and Hurt/Comfort

English

Rated M

Levi Ackerman/Sakura Haruno

Warnings: Language, Violence

Summary; The first memory she had was one of blood. Experiments and then being thrown down into the underground. She hated it, but within that dark and cold place, she had met him. He had given her wings and she gave him her loyalty.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin nor do I make any money from my writings.

A/N: Please enjoy and review. The first few chapters will be kind of rushed since I mainly want to focus on the time when they're in the Survey Corps.

Chapter One: Into the New World

The first memory she had was one of blood. It soaked into the ground underneath her bruised knuckles and sore feet. It was dripping off of her body and landing onto the ground. Jade eyes glanced around frantically, trying to grasp what was occurring around her. A large, skeletal body rested in front of her, a heavy steam raising from the decaying flesh that still resided on it.

She didn't know what she did. She didn't know what was going on. She didn't know what the creature in front of her was. Or what it had been. She didn't remember.

She didn't remember.

A voice called out to her and the small child looked up to meet the eyes of a man before her. He was standing before her, the shadows of the night hiding most of his features from her. He said something to her, but she didn't understand. His gruff and deep voice was forming words that were lost on her.

The clouds overhead moved slowly across the moon, but they finally revealed the features to the child. Her wide, green eyes took in the features of the man before her. His skinny body, his mature and wise eyes, his dark hair, the gentle smile on his lips, and finally to the extended hand he aimed at her.

Without knowing what else to do or what she should possibly hold onto, the little girl reached out her own pale, yet dirty, hand. He grasped her hand and she prayed that she wasn't making a mistake.

The few months after that encounter had been somewhat enlightening to Sakura. It was mostly due to the fact that she had recovered the memories of her past life. She was in this strange world for a reason. What it was, she didn't know quite yet. She had been given a prophecy from some old toad that used to know Jiraiya fairly well, according to Naruto.

Being reborn into another world as a four-year old wasn't much of a hassle, but to be on her own that young with no memories and no way to defend herself while huge monsters called 'Titans' roamed around, that was a problem. Especially when those monsters craved human flesh. Then again, she was sure that she shouldn't consider herself human any longer.

She was exceptionally different from the rest of them.

The man that had taken her in had surely found that out on his own. He brought her inside a large wall before bringing her to an abandoned hut on the outskirts. It was secluded and surrounded by dense forests, away from any other life. She supposed that the man wanted to keep her secret from anyone else. She never went out unless it was to hunt for her own food or to search for herbs.

She was grateful to have regained her memories, otherwise she was sure that she would have trouble surviving on her own. The man, who she had recently found out was a doctor, would visit often and he made sure to bring plenty of supplies for her to live off of. Even so, she didn't like having to depend on him to live.

Sakura already owed him for saving her from that deathtrap outside. Her payment was in the form of allowing him to experiment on her body. While he took blood from her and injected her with a variety of things, he told her of the three walls, of the titans, of life inside the walls. He told her everything she needed to know, but she had a feeling that he wasn't telling her everything that he knew.

The first indication that she wasn't normal was the fact that she was outside of Wall Maria to begin with. The second was her unusual, natural, appearance. The doctor had made the assumption that she was some sort of mutation, but had dismissed the theory after he had examined her blood as best as he could have, given the lack of technological advancement.

The pinkette didn't think much of the experiments, but they were good opportunities to figure out the differences between her previous body and the one that she had been given to accommodate this world. Her precious chakra had been taken from her, but if she were to change physically to fit this world, she was glad that it had been her chakra taken from her instead of her appearance changing.

Chakra is what made her a shinobi, what made her a medic, but her appearance is what made her who she was. Her green eyes, she got from her mother, her pink hair she got from her father. A combination of both of them melted into one to get the different shades that uniquely fit her. The purple seal on her forehead was a memento of her beloved shishou. If she were to remember who she was and then look at her reflection in water, if she had been given black hair and dark eyes, how would she have reacted? She was glad she at least got to keep that.

However, knowing that there was a life she had to leave behind, a life that she loved dearly, it filled her days with longing and loneliness. She missed Konoha. She missed her family and friends. She missed Naruto and Ino. She missed Tsunade and Shizune.

She missed Sasuke.

The only thing that was able to keep them alive with her was her memory of them. Every day, she trained to keep her taijutsu style alive, as well as what she remembered from the Hyuuga style, and though she was able to fight off a horde of people if they were to threaten her, she didn't have the will to fight.

Sakura knew that she had a mission, but she wanted to go back home. She was stuck in this strange world with no way out and without knowing what was to become of her. She didn't even know what her mission was or why it had to be her. How was she supposed to accomplish something when she didn't even know what it was? Why did it have to be her that was sent to this crazy place?

The answers would never come to her. Not even through the years that followed that she spent in this strange, titan-filled world. There were no answers and there was no solace. There was no one here that could understand her. No one that could comfort her. No one to stand by her side.

While growing up in a small hut, she had sought out other people to interact with, but that had been a mistake. After all, no matter where she went, there would be humans and by nature, humans were cruel beings.

This was such a cruel world.

She had been deemed an inhuman creature, an abomination that would bring about the destruction of the peaceful lives within the villages. She was strange, a monster, because of the odd appearance that she loved so much.

Without the will to hurt those around her, the pinkette had found herself beaten mercilessly by the adults in the village. Stones and sticks had been thrown at her by the children. Curses and insults were aimed at her from the elderly women before she was thrown out of the village entirely by the men.

She was treated like that wherever she went and each time it happened, it made her feel even more out of place. The hope that she would find someone like Dr. Yaegar diminished quickly. She knew the man had seen unspeakable things in his life, she could see it in his dark and deep eyes, but she didn't think that there would be so many unaccepting people in this world. The doctor was clearly as unique and out of place in this world as she was.

That was probably one of the reasons why she continued to let him examine and experiment on her body. He was the only person that she was able to communicate normally with. He was the only person that didn't make her feel like a monster. Although with the way he probed at her body and looked interested and awed by some sort of modification or reaction her body had to one of his potions, she felt more like a guinea pig than an actual human.

The experiments were mostly research for his medical career. Her body was able to adapt quickly and her immune system was extremely high, making her a valuable asset to his research. He was able to come up with poisons and antidotes a lot easier than he was able to before.

However, recently, his experiments went to a whole new level, which would cause what he called 'an evolutional breakthrough'. What that something was, she didn't know, but it had happened shortly after he had injected her with something. Her body had felt hot, like her body was going to burst, but then. . . nothing. She had returned to normal and he had rejoiced with such excitement that it left her with a headache.

Shortly afterward, he had taken another sample of her blood and left for quite a long time. What he did with it, she wasn't sure, but it was no doubt to continue his research of something or other.

However, his experiments didn't last long. Some bandits had found her and though she had fought back, they managed to get the upper hand on her.

That was how she ended up underground, being sold to be a slave to some noble in the dirty city. He wasn't a noble, but he considered himself as such since he belonged to one of the wealthier families in the underground. He had gotten tired of the usual, disgusting people that could be found in the city and had requested some 'new meat'. The bandits that had taken his job had remembered seeing her in one of the villages, figuring her appearance was refreshing enough for the fat slob that they worked for.

The only problem was that there had been a small hole hidden in the pantry that she had found one night. She would rather die than be someone's slave. However, that led her to being on the street once she had escaped. With no way of getting back up to the outside or to the doctor, the pinkette had no choice but to start a new life in the dirty streets. She had tried to sneak out quite a few times before she accepted her fate, but had been thrown back each time by the guards. She was at least relieved that they didn't recognize her as someone's 'property'. She didn't want to go back to that fat man.

She didn't have a choice but to live underground, to either steal or survive off of the grime and crumbs off of the ground. It was depressing and even the sickly that littered the alleyways gave her strange looks. Even in this disgusting and smelly place, she didn't fit in, but in a way, it reassured her. The tall buildings that were brown in color reminded her of Suna and their sandy buildings. It was odd, but comforting.

Although, she didn't like the ceiling overlooking the city, trapping the citizens within. It was without a doubt the safest place from the titans outside of the walls, but it was also a cage. Sakura had never before felt like a caged bird until she was tossed down into this hellish place. She was used to running around out in the open, but now she was stuck here. Even the buildings looked like they were stacking on top of each other to try to reach the ceiling, to reach their freedom.

It had possibly been a year since Sakura had been thrown into the underground city, since she had lost her freedom. She wasn't sure exactly how much time had passed since she was first found by Dr. Yaegar, but she was guessing she was about twelve years old. Twelve years in this world and what had she accomplished during it? Nothing. She had done nothing but sit around and let some old man experiment on her.

Her mind wandered. Who was she? Why was she here? What could she do? What would she accomplish on her own? She couldn't even breathe in the open air of the surface without getting kicked around by a couple of guards.

Sakura's feet dragged while a ragged dress hung loosely on her shoulders, the only article of clothing on her person. Her feet were bare, bruised and dirty from her time underground. Her hair was down to her knees and darker in color from not having been washed recently and matted from tangles. Dirt adorned almost every part of her body along with bruises from having been beaten from merchants or adults that caught her stealing from them.

The sound of something above her caused the pinkette to look upward. Her jade eyes locked on to the single individual that flew over her head. He was wearing some kind of device that allowed him to soar through the air. She watched as he flew over her head before continuing on his way. She had seen him plenty of times before and each time filled her with a jealous awe. She wanted to be able to experience the feeling, to be able to soar within a place that was practically a cage. It seemed to be some sort of taboo, he was defying the laws of nature within this place. More than that, she knew the man was strong. She didn't know his name, but she knew his face. She knew what he was capable of.

It took her twelve years to find her motivation.

Setting off into a run, the pinkette set her sights on the retreating figure that was quickly disappearing from her sights. She had been following for a few weeks now, searching for the place where he resided. She had almost caught him the other day but he disappeared from her view. She was determined to find this strange man. She was determined to become stronger.

Luck was on her side and after maneuvering through tight streets and alleys, she caught sight of the man standing in front of a small stairwell. He was talking to a taller man, one with blonde hair and bangs in front of his face. They were parted on each side to meet directly in the middle between his brows.

Sakura couldn't hear what they were saying, but when she saw them turn to start walking up the steps, she ran forward. She wasn't sure if he lived in the house connected to the steps or if he was just stopping there, but she wouldn't let him get away again.

"Wait." she called out before she could think about what to say.

The two men stopped and looked back at her, one with curiosity and the other with boredom. She kept her eyes on the shorter male, his sharp eyes looking at her as if she could have dropped dead and he wouldn't have batted an eye at her.

Sakura stopped running when she was a few yards away from them and she finally took a good look at the man she had been following. His dark hair was parted so that most of it was hanging to the left and his features were of a young man. His eyes looked dark from where she was standing and his body was small and lean. If the pinkette had to describe him, he was undoubtedly handsome with an underlying danger to him.

Her breathing was coming out ragged and she tried to calm it while the shorter male replied, "What is it, brat?" His voice was deep and hinted with a layer of annoyance.

The female tilted her head up slightly and swallowed the dry lump in her throat. She was suddenly so thirsty and she clenched her hands before unclenching them. Was she nervous? Why was she nervous?

Furrowing her pink brow and setting her mouth into a firm line, she leaned forward and clenched her fists at her sides. "I would like you to take me on as an apprentice." she said with determination in her voice.

The blonde male showed his surprise at her outburst, but the dark haired male didn't show any change in his facial features. Instead, he began to turn away from her while saying, "I have no interest in a pupil that doesn't even know how to bathe."

Sakura was absolutely dumbfounded. What just happened? The words that his companion said was lost on her as he followed the other man into one of the houses that was connected to the small stairwell. Jade eyes stared in front of the small female, trying to grasp what the man had said. Did he just refuse to teach her? Because of her hygiene?

Unbelievable. What did he possibly expect? They were living in a filthy, underground city and many of its inhabitants didn't have homes of their own. Most of the children were raised on the streets, if they weren't orphans. So of course good hygiene wasn't something that was to be expected.

How dare him. Who did he think he was?

Well she wasn't going anywhere. She would get him to train her and that was that. Running forward, the pinkette ran up the stairs before turning left to run up another short flight of stairs. Stopping at the door in front of her, she banged on the door in anger, her eyes narrowed ahead of her. After a few moments, the door opened and she found the man she wanted to speak to in the doorway. He was scowling down at her in disapproval and disgust, no doubt at her scent, or her overall presence.

"Why won't you train me?" she questioned while she looked up at the man.

His dark eyebrow twitched before he gave her his answer, although it wasn't what she was looking for. He had swiftly shut the door in her face, causing the pinkette to stand in front of the door, her eyes wide and her jaw dropped. How could someone be so rude?

Well if he wanted to be this way, then she would retaliate. Sitting down on the step, she faced away from the door and crossed her arms over her chest. She would wait for him to come out before asking him again. Although she was more certain that she'd have to harass him to get what she wanted since she already received his blatant refusal twice. If push came to shove, she could find out if he lived at this place or not and then find his definite home, if he lived anywhere at all. If he did, she would nasty up his house as payback.

Minutes turned long and before the female knew, she was leaning her head against the wall beside her as sleep threatened to take over. She had been sitting out in front of the house for what felt like hours before the sound of a door creaking met her ears.

Sakura immediately jerked her head backward and was met with the annoyed gaze of the dark haired male. Scooting so that she was in the middle of the step, she spread out her arms to the sides to cover the entire width of the stairwell. Her own eyes were narrowed at him and her lips set into a determined frown.

"I'm not moving until you agree to train me." Sakura vaguely wondered if this would change anything. She knew that he could probably just jump over her or the side of the stairs to get going on his way, but she realized then that her legs had fallen asleep. It would hurt for her to stand up and she was sure that she would have fallen over if she had attempted. They were tingling as is so she wasn't going to attempt it.

She watched as the male briefly brought up his foot in front of him before he kicked her in her back. Sakura let out a yelp as she flew forward and rolled unceremoniously down the stairwell before stopping on the flat surface connecting the stairwells together in the center. Jade eyes were closed and a groan left her lips, jolts of pain and electricity shooting more through her legs as they were forced to wake up. She ached and she couldn't move. Her body was twisted awkwardly and her legs were folded above her while her feet were behind her head. Her back rubbed against the hard ground underneath her and one arm was underneath her back while the other was in between her legs.

Squinting one eye open, she watched as the short male made his way passed her down the steps, ignoring her now that she was out of his way. "You'll pay for this." she gritted out and she knew he heard her since he spared her a single glance over his shoulder before returning his gaze to in front of him. He walked off as if nothing had happened and Sakura knew that if she were to follow him, she'd only lose him in the state she was in, especially if he decided to use that flying machine of his.

Deciding to wait for him would be the best thing, the pinkette waited until her legs were completely awake before moving in front of the stairwell. She sat against the wall next to the opening and folded her legs in front of her. Placing her hands in her lap, the female looked up at the high ceiling above her and silently hoped that he would return to this building.

She wanted to leave this place so desperately. Sakura slowly closed her eyes and it wasn't long before sleep overcame her. She would do anything.

Anything.

It wasn't long before she awoke and it was just in time as she saw a familiar body making its way closer to the stairs. Her eyes narrowed challengingly at the figure, but he paid her no mind as he made his way passed her. Sakura let out a small huff, the only noise made between the two at that moment. A moment later, he shut the door behind him when he made his way into the house.

It seemed that he lived there so she made the right decision by deciding to wait outside of the small building. She was no longer in his way so she shouldn't be kicked anymore, but she would still be an eyesore whenever he left the building and came back. She wasn't going anywhere. Not until she got what she wanted.

Unfortunately, it wasn't until after a few days when any progress was made. Both males had gone out, as well as another girl that was probably a few years older than herself. Aside from the dark haired male, they had looked at her curiously before leaving. They had come back hours later to find her still sitting in the same spot.

Sakura had her eyes closed and her head turned down slightly, her arms folded in front of her stomach to stifle the growling it made from hunger. Two sets of feet passed by her and she noted that one stopped in front of her.

Jade eyes looked up to meet grey ones looking back at her. They were narrowed, calculating and observing while the male's brow was furrowed. Sakura was surprised, she didn't expect the short male to have approached her, but he seemed to be analyzing her.

"Why?" he asked pointedly.

The pinkette was confident in her answer and her own brow was furrowed. "I want to become stronger."

Levi had taken in the young girl's answer, her determined expression, and her actions of the previous days, and he knew that he couldn't refuse her any longer. There was just one problem. She was absolutely filthy. Having received her reply, he made his way into the house he shared with Farlan and Isabel. They asked him what he was planning on doing about the girl outside of their home, but he made no comment to them. He briefly made his way to the kitchen.

It took close to one hour for him to heat up enough water to fill up the tub in the bathroom. Making his way back outside, he wasn't surprised to find the girl still sitting in the same spot she had been sitting in for the past two days.

"Oi." he called out to get her attention and she turned her head so that her bright, green eyes landed on his. "Follow me."

He caught the surprise that washed over her stained and dirty features before he turned and began to walk away before she could question him. They both made their way into the house and though he was inwardly grimacing at how her dirty feet made contact with his clean floor, he was pleased that she didn't move around needlessly, nor did she touch anything.

Farlan and Isabel locked their eyes on the newcomer, though they said nothing as Levi led the female to the bathroom. He was sure that they would be gossiping to themselves and questioning his actions as soon as they made it to the room. He shut the door behind them and saw that she was glancing quickly around the small room. There was a toilet to the side and a wooden tub in front of them. The only plumbing they had went to the toilet and to the sink in the kitchen so the tub had to be filled with water from the kitchen. However, there was a hole in the bottom of the tub that was used to drain the water from the tub when they were finished. The soaps that they used to bathe with were placed to the side on the edge of the tub.

Without having to tell the female beside him what to do, she began to pull off the dress on her shoulders. It dropped down to the ground after she lifted it over her head. Underneath it, she had been wearing something similar to a loincloth, which she seemed all too happy to finally be rid of. It only took another moment before the female made her way into the tub and she dunked her head underneath the water.

Levi leaned against the wall beside the door and crossed his arms over his chest. He watched the female as she raised her head out of the warm water and gasped loudly. It didn't seem that he would have to forcefully bathe her as she spotted a bar of soap near her and grabbed it, but he would stay behind to watch her bathe. If she didn't get clean enough the first time then he would bathe her until it reached his satisfactory. He didn't care how long it would take, she wouldn't leave this bathroom until every inch of dirt was off of her body.

Grey eyes watched as the female washed her long hair first, lathering it until a large amount of soap adorned her hair. She then dunked her head underneath the water and he could see movement under the surface. The grime she had collected in her hair floated into the water and coated it a darker color. After a few moments, she popped her head above the water to breathe, only to dunk right back in, repeating the process until she was sure that she had gotten all of the dirt and soap out of her hair.

Levi blinked his eyes in curiosity, his attention on the odd color of hair that adorned her head. It had looked like an off red before, but now it was clearly a pinkish color. It was the first time he had seen such a thing. It was odd.

The female began to wash her face and then the rest of her body, starting from the top and then working her way down. She had stood up in the water to reach the parts that had been lowered down in the water previously. She scrubbed her skin vigorously until it turned red with rawness before she dropped back down in the water.

Levi vaguely wondered if she hated being filthy just like him, but couldn't help it considering her situation. Then again, he didn't know her situation, but it was likely that she didn't have anywhere else to go either.

He was sure the water had long gone cold by the time she finished and she stood up, her arms wrapped around her torso and goosebumps on her skin. Levi told her to pull the plug at the bottom of the tub and that he would be back in a moment with fresh linen and something to dry herself off with. He went to his bedroom to retrieve the clothing and a towel and headed back to the bathroom.

The female was still standing in the tub and she watched as the water slowly left it, swirling around at the bottom. "Here." he said before handing the towel toward her and she turned her attention toward him. She took the towel from him before putting the cloth to her face, inhaling the scent as she buried her nose it. "Oi." he called out to her, arching a dark eyebrow at her behavior.

The female lowered the cloth from her face to look at him and he held out the clothes for her to take. "Hurry up and put these on. You have a mess to clean up."

She didn't talk back, only nodded her head while taking the clothes from him. Levi then turned and walked out of the bathroom, leaving her to get dressed in peace while he prepared a bucket of water and a scrub brush. It took a few minutes and he placed them by the front door. He was about to go into the bathroom to fetch the girl and turned, only to see her walk toward him. She was frowning disapprovingly at her hair while she fidgeted with a strand. It was still matted and unsightly from not having been brushed for who knew how long. He didn't care about that however. That was her problem.

"You'll start here." he began and pointed to the footprints she had tracked into the house. Her jade eyes looked up at him and then down to where he was pointing. She looked back up at him when he pointed to the bathroom and he added, "You'll finish in the bathroom."

Yet again, she nodded her head and he lowered his arm. He watched as she made her way to the bucket and kneeled down to the ground. His eyes followed as she wet the brush in the bucket of water and began scrubbing the floor with vigor. At least he didn't have to tell her twice what to do. She was a good listener. He was grateful for that if she was going to be his pupil. It would make things a lot easier.

Levi made his way back to the kitchen and vaguely wondered where Farlan and Isabel had run off to. They were in the living room when he had taken the girl to the bathroom, but were gone when he had passed through to go to his bedroom. The dark haired male made himself a cup of tea, the sound of scrubbing reaching his ears as his back stayed to the female. By the time that he made his way to the couch and sat down to enjoy his cup, she had disappeared inside of the bathroom.

His grey eyes raked over the spots that she had cleaned and he had to admit, he didn't see a spec of dirt from where he was sitting. Closing his eyes, he enjoyed the silence that swept over the house. It was usually so noisy since Isabel had joined them. It's not that he minded, it was just nice to have some peace every once in a while to just relax.

Minutes passed by and the quiet was interrupted when a soft "Um." was uttered. Levi opened his eyes and looked up at the female standing in the doorway to the bathroom, looking at him with her brow furrowed. Letting out a sigh, he placed his empty tea cup on the table in front of him and stood up. He made his way passed her and into the bathroom, her eyes following him as he did so. Inspecting the work she did on the tub, he couldn't make out any spots that needed to be done over. She did a good job, surprisingly. He would burn those disgusting clothes she wore later.

Making his way out of the bathroom, he told her to dump the excess water out and place the bucket back in the corner of the kitchen before he made his way back into his bedroom. He picked up a hairbrush and a pair of scissors from a small end table and walked back out into the living room. The girl had done as he asked and stood in the kitchen, her eyes scanning her surroundings.

Levi returned to the couch and sat down on it. Looking over at the female, he found that she was looking at him with a calm expression. He waved his hand at her, gesturing for her to come to him and she did so quietly. When she made it to him, he pushed the table away from him with his foot before pointing to the ground in front of him. "Sit."

The pinkette sat on the ground in front of him and looked ahead of her. The dark haired male made sure to be gentle while he ran the brush over the girl's hair, starting at the tips. Brushing out the knots at the ends, he worked his way up to her scalp. He wasn't sure how long it took and he was certain that he had yanked at a few knots, jerking her head to the sides at odd angles, but she said nothing in retaliation. She grunted a few times when he had gotten the brush caught in her hair, but she didn't stop him or scold him.

Once he was sure that her hair was free of tangles, he took the scissors to it. Most of her hair was damaged from not having been properly cared for and even when brushed, it still looked matted. Levi didn't bother asking her how long she wanted it to remain nor did she make any comments on it. He was sure that if she cared, she would have said something, so he took it as an indication to continue. He brought the scissors to her chin and started cutting the hair there. The long strands fell loosely to the ground in waves as he continued to cut the pink locks.

"Ano." she spoke up softly, causing the male to blink down at her. He didn't still his movements however as he continued to cut her hair. "What's your name?"

"Levi." he replied before starting on a new section to cut, mostly done with his task.

The pinkette continued to look in front of her and she tested the name on her lips. "Levi. . ." she whispered and shortly added, "-sama." behind it.

"You don't need to add an honorific to my name. "

"It's out of respect." she replied and she was just as calm as him.

Levi wasn't going to deny her if she wanted to call him that and he wasn't going to admit that he liked it. The dark haired male could tell that she was disciplined, but he wondered what had happened in her life to make her that way.

"I'm Sakura, by the way."

A hum was his reply, indicating that he had heard her and he questioned, "How long since you last ate something?"

At first, a silence fell between them and it was long moments later when she finally answered, "I can't remember."

-SCENE CHANGE-

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. Every day since she had been accepted into the household, it consisted of cleaning, training, more cleaning, and then more training. Sakura didn't mind. She had been training for eight straight years. She had already remastered her original fighting style that she had learned from Tsunade and she had also remembered most of the Hyuuga fighting style. She realized that their smooth movements and unique style made for excellent assassination techniques so she used the family's style as a reference for her own fighting style if she didn't want to use crushing blows to fight. It also made for great defense.

She wanted to become stronger.

Most of her days were spent with either Farlan or Isabel when she wasn't by herself. During the first week or two, Levi had given her a small knife to practice with, but had found that she didn't need training with it. Although he didn't know it, she remembered well how to hold a kunai and how to fight with it. They still trained to get her comfortable moving with it again and he also had wanted to see her limits with the weapon.

Aside from the basic workouts on a daily basis, she practiced with the knife along with her taijutsu. There were occasional breaks, which consisted of going out further into the city to steal produce from merchants. On those days when she wasn't out all night, she was expected to make Levi's tea for him. It was one of the duties he expected of a pupil he had told her, although, she figured that he was just being lazy.

The only thing that she needed his supervision with was the 3-D maneuvering gear he had gotten her. It wasn't that she had a hard time with it, it was just that she wasn't used to depending on a foreign object guiding her. It felt unnatural and awkward. She was able to stand up straight in the contraption, but it took some getting used to.

Her relationship with the other three began as platonic; they were simply there, all living and working together. It was like an extended mission with teammates that she barely knew and didn't talk to unless necessary. She didn't speak to them unless she or they needed something nor did she exchange pleasantries with them.

That all changed after about two months of living with them. She had left to bring back supplies and produce for the week. She was by herself as she walked down the dark and cold streets. Clothes that were too big for her hung loosely over one shoulder and her pants were tied at her waist by a string. They were Farlan's since she had torn her own during training and Levi didn't want her destroying a pair of his own clothes. Although Isabel was closer to her size, she had agreed with Levi's reasoning. She still walked around with bare feet.

Businesses were closed since most people were sleeping by this time and the area was quiet. Except for the sounds of footsteps running toward the pinkette. Her head whipped around, only for it to be slammed down against the ground by a strong grip. A grunt left her lips and she struggled to get up, her body thrashing around against her attackers and a loud ringing in her ears.

Fear crept through her being, but it wasn't for herself.

Fear.

It was for the people who these hands belonged to. The hands that were invading her body. One was held firmly over her mouth while others circled around her arms before lifting her up and dragging her toward an alley.

Voices and blood filled her ears, pounding against her head while she was dragged and pushed. Her back was shoved harshly against the wall of the alley, her feet raised in the air from how high they had raised her. From what she could tell, there were three males and they were yelling at each other, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. She couldn't hear, but their movements were rushed.

She didn't want to hurt them.

Her shirt was ripped while the hand on her mouth pressed against her more. Jade eyes clenched closed and even if they had been open, she couldn't see the men in front of her. Her eyes were too blurry from tears. Their bodies were too obscured by the dark clothes they were wearing and the shadows surrounding them.

She didn't want to hurt them.

Her shirt fell loosely to the dirty ground underneath her and tears fell down her cheeks and over the man's fingers. Her own hands had reached up to grasp at his arm and her nostrils flared, only to invade her senses with a disgusting and sour musk. Hands grabbed greedily at her naked torso and she knew that if she didn't do something, her pants were the next to be torn away.

She didn't want to be seen as a monster.

The sound of metal slicing through the air was heard by the pinkette before the slicing of skin. A howl of agony was let out and the female snapped her eyes open to see what was going on. Blood flew in front of her eyes and the hand that was holding her up by her face quickly let go of her and was pulled back to its owner.

Sakura fell down to her knees and her hands landed on the ground in front of her as she looked up at the scene before her. Blood was flying everywhere as a single body maneuvered through the taller bodies, cutting down the three men that had assaulted her. Howls of pain that escaped the men didn't reach her ears, her mind focused on the mystery person.

He appeared to her as no more than a mere shadow at first, but as the three bodies fell down to the ground and the remaining one stilled, she was able to make out his features. Short, dark hair that was parted to mostly cover the left side of his forehead and grey eyes that were sharp and deadly. Those eyes were turned toward her and Sakura could finally see the emotion that was buried so deep within them.

They were beautiful. . .

The dull grey were shining with such emotion to the point of having a blue hue clouding them. What was he feeling? Anger? Annoyance? Pity? What was it that caused such a look within those eyes?

Sakura found herself fascinated by the change within the short man standing in front of her, not even aware that she was staring at him. Not even aware that she was able to see him so clearly, despite not having been able to see the thugs previously. His brow was furrowed and his lips set into a thin line and he didn't seem fazed at all that he had just taken three lives.

He undid the vest over his shirt before kneeling down and slipping it onto her back. The female slid her arms into the sleeveless holes and watched as he closed the front of the vest. It was big on her, but it gave her some coverage. He set his eyes on hers sternly as he held onto the front of the vest.

"Listen," he began, his voice deep and commanding. There was no room for argument or disobedience. "It's either kill or be killed."

Jade eyes blinked slowly at the man before her, his face only a foot away from her, making him all the more intimidating. "Unless you want to be raped, killed, and left in a shit pile somewhere, I suggest you start standing up for yourself."

"I- I don't-" the pinkette furrowed her pink brow while a frown adorned her lips. She blinked away fresh tears. Her fingers clenched in the fabric of her pants and his grey eyes stayed locked on her green ones. "I don't want to hurt anyone. I-"

Sakura turned her gaze downward toward her lap, a feeling of shame overwhelming her. "I don't want to be seen as a monster." she softly said, practically whispering as if she didn't want him to hear her. Her brow furrowed and she slumped slightly before saying even softer than before, "Not any more than I already am."

The dark haired male didn't say anything in response as he kept his gaze on her, silently taking in her words. He had heard her words, all of them. After a few moments, a hand was pressed on top of the female's head. Her eyes widened and she felt the male ruffle her hair slightly before he pulled his hand back.

Sakura looked up to see that he had stood up and began walking away. The pinkette stood up herself and turned to face his back, watching him walk off, his stride calm. Her hand lifted up to her head on its own accord and pressed against the spot where a larger one had been a moment ago.

She furrowed her eyebrows and an embarrassed frown crept on her lips while a small blush adorned her cheeks and across the bridge of her nose. A warm tingling sensation settled inside of her chest and her breathing was slow, but heavy.

Levi glanced over his shoulder back at her and she lowered her arm to her side while calming down her body. She took off into a short run in order to reach his side and he turned his gaze back in front of him. It was then as she walked by his side, with her arms folded behind her back, that she realized that she was only a few inches shorter than him.

Ever since then, she had paid special attention to him and the way the others acted around her. They didn't flinch away from her, they didn't act scared or disgusted by her. They approached her and talked to her. How had she not noticed before?

Whenever she did something wrong, Levi would scold her and correct her. He had touched her. It was brief, but it was gentle. He had saved her. He had killed for her. Which meant that he valued her in some way.

How had she not noticed it before?

Even during the months after the incident. . .

The way he looked at her when she stood next to him. The way he scolded her when she did something wrong. The way he praised her and patted her head when she did something right or needed comfort. It made her feel comfortable.

For the first time in twelve years, she had finally found someone that made her feel human. The realization had been a heavy one and it brought her to tears. A barrier that she had formed in her heart crumbled around her and landed beneath her feet.

Without any will to protest against her traitorous body, Sakura had found herself sneaking into the man's room that night. He had a room of his own while Farlan and Isabel shared one. Before that night, she had been sleeping on the couch in the living room.

However, she went into the dark haired male's room and crawled into his bed. His back was facing toward her and when he felt the movement, he turned slightly to look back at her. He said nothing as she kneeled beside his back and put her hands on his side. Her head was tilted downward and a shadow fell over her features, but he could see the tears that slid down her cheeks from her downcast eyes. Her bottom lip was swollen and red from her biting it and she stifled her sobs, which caused them to turn into hiccups.

A flush covered her cheeks and nose and her fingers curled into the fabric of his white shirt. It took four months of living with this man, but she finally broke. Thanks to him, she had been reduced to a pile of tears and emotions. Jade eyes closed and a new stream of tears escaped from her. She was a pile of weaknesses.

And she couldn't have been more grateful. Leaning her head forward, she put her forehead against his side and let the tears continue to fall from her closed eyes. The male said nothing as he listened to her soft whimpers and quiet sobs. Instead, he reached behind her with his arm and placed his hand on top of her head.

Levi didn't know what she was crying about and he didn't need to. He knew this was bound to happen sooner or later. She had been suppressing her emotions for months, ever since he noticed that she began to let her guard down around them.

He wasn't very affectionate, but she was a child. One that had been alone prior to being with them and she had clearly suffered if she didn't want others to see her as a monster. He saw himself in her, if he was being honest with himself. He didn't mind giving her comfort if she sought it from him. He didn't mind if she used him to cry on.

Closing his eyes, he rubbed his hand down her head to the nape of her neck before starting at the top again and going back down. It was soothing and her soft sobs quieted before stopping completely. He felt her turn her head and knew that she was looking at him through half-lidded eyes. He could feel her gaze on him, but he kept his eyes closed.

He heard sniffles coming from her before finally, her breathing evened and her grip on his shirt loosened slightly. The male opened his grey eyes and looked over to see that she had fallen asleep, still sitting on her knees and her head on his side. Her face was turned toward him and her eyes were red and swollen, but she looked content. Her face wasn't bunched up and guarded like it usually was whenever he would catch her sleeping on the couch in the early hours of morning.

She looked peaceful and her body was relaxed. Ceasing the movements of his hand, he placed it back in front of him and closed his eyes again. After only minutes, sleep claimed him as well.

 _ **-END OF CHAPTER ONE-**_

Please review what you think.


	2. Smiles and Laughter

Hope of Morning

Romance and Hurt/Comfort

English

Rated M

Levi Ackerman/Sakura Haruno

Warnings: Language, Violence

Summary; The first memory she had was one of blood. Experiments and then being thrown down into the underground. She hated it, but within that dark and cold place, she had met him. He had given her wings and she gave him her loyalty.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin nor do I make any money from my writings.

A/N: I finally updated. Honestly, I had this chapter sitting in my documents since this time last year. I hadn't updated at the time since I felt that I was moving the plot too fast and ended up with writer's block since I wasn't sure what to do or progress Sakura's personality and relationship with the others, especially Levi. I decided to just go with what I had written out and edited while adding in a few more paragraphs.

Thank you everyone for all of the follows, favorites, and reviews. Even after a year without updating and only one chapter being posted, I'm still getting them and I greatly appreciate it.

This chapter isn't as long as the first one, but I hope you all enjoy.

Chapter Two: Smiles and Laughter

All it took was that one night and Levi realized that the young girl was just a huge bundle of raw emotions. He had begun to wonder if he had made a mistake in allowing her to become his protégé. There were times when she would just sit on the couch and cry while staring off into space. Other times, she would show a temper that had been hidden previously, snapping at either Farlan or Isabel whenever they did something that got on her nerves or if she found it ludicrous. However, he didn't fail to notice in the three months since she had started opening up to them that she had yet to snap at him.

Although sometimes he would wonder if he had made a sensible choice seven months ago, he knew that he had made the right decision whenever she would smile. It had caught him off guard at first; the way she had smiled so brightly at him.

Levi remembered the way his heart had fluttered and he knew that he would never be able to regret taking the pink haired girl in.

" _Ne, Levi-sama." Sakura called out to him._

 _Levi looked up from his spot on the couch, his eyes previously looking over the book in his hands. A cup of tea was on the table in front of him, having been made by the youngest in the house. She had grown accustomed long ago to make his tea and if he was being honest, he preferred it when she made it over anybody else, even himself._

" _What is it?" he asked, his grey eyes lazy as he looked at the child. She was standing on the other side of the table, a broom at her side that was held by both petite hands. It had been five months since he had cut her hair and it now reached down to the small of her back. She kept it brushed and tidy, but left her bangs in front of her face._

 _She hadn't grown much since she started living with them, but her body had filled out from the meals she ate every day. He had made sure of that. Levi made a point to the other two that Sakura received her meals before anyone else in the household, if not at the same time. She was a child and he would see to it that she didn't suffer from hunger. As Isabel insisted that she wasn't a kid, he didn't feel the obligation to make sure that she ate. However, Sakura was younger and also his student. She was his responsibility._

 _The pinkette wore a similar dress to when they first met, but it fit her body better and was clean. Even if she had a pair of slippers to wear, she preferred to walk around barefooted. He didn't understand why she chose to do it when she had footwear, but he figured it was force of habit. After scolding her so many times that he lost count, he gave up on getting her to wear her slippers. As long as she didn't drag in mud or dirt and she cleaned up after herself, then it was fine._

" _I finished sweeping." the pinkette stated, looking at him calmly, "Need me to do anything else?"_

 _While turning his gaze back down to his book, he replied, "No. You're fine now."_

 _He was expecting her to run off to do her own thing. She had gotten into the strange habit of going outside to pester the small animals that roamed around the city, as well as making strange weapons out of the clay that broke off from some of the older buildings._

" _Ne, Levi-sama." she said, her voice filled with sudden cheer._

 _Levi looked up at her once again and blinked at the excited smile on her lips. It wasn't unusual for her to smile like that nowadays. The wall around her heart had been broken down and she had allowed joy back into her life._

" _What?"_

 _The young female spread out her arms to the sides, one hand still holding onto the broom and he was cautious of her jumping toward him to envelope him in some kind of bear hug. Her smile was bright and her green eyes glistened with undaunted excitement. "I want to be able to fly."_

 _The dark haired male didn't respond, only blinked slowly at the girl before him, but that didn't stop her from continuing. She brought the broom between her legs in a riding fashion, the bushy straw behind her and she turned so that her side was facing him. Her hands were gripped on the handle of the broom in front of her. The girl kept smiling at him, her eyes twinkling. "Like a witch. I can go wherever I want and how high I want."_

 _Levi arched a dark eyebrow in curiosity. "A witch?" He had never heard of such a thing and he vaguely wondered where she had heard the term from._

 _Sakura nodded her pink head, "A witch is someone who rides on a broom into the sky at night. They wear dark clothing and have long noses and moles and they can cast magic."_

 _An amused smile tilted up the corner of Levi's lips at the girl's enthusiasm as he reached forward and grabbed his cup of tea. He brought it to his lips, but before taking a sip, he responded, "I don't think you can be one then."_

 _Her bright smile fell instantly into a defiant pout, her brow furrowed, but her eyes still gleaming. "Why not?"_

" _Dark clothing doesn't suit you." The male started to drink from his cup, his eyes cast downward, only for them to tilt up when the child responded to him._

" _That's fine, I'll just wear white." The pinkette jumped around so that she was facing the other way, her hair spinning around behind her. Her head turned so that she was facing him, her eyes closed and her mouth open wide with a joyous smile. "And you'll be with me, Levi-sama."_

 _Levi lowered the cup in his hand down to his lap before he could drop it. His grey eyes were locked on the features of the child before him, taken aback completely by her smile. It was genuine and far too beautiful for someone her age or in this circumstance. He had never seen anybody smile like that, much less at him._

 _His heart warmed and ached at the same time. He knew instantly that he wanted nothing more than to give her what she desired. What had him aching was that he had no idea how to do such a thing. She was stuck in this underground prison right alongside him and there was nothing he could do to change that._

" _Levi-sama." Sakura called out to him, worry in her voice as she tried to get his attention._

 _The male had looked down at his cup, a frown on his lips as disappointment flowed through him. He wasn't able to do anything for her._

Although there were times when he would curse the day they had found each other, only from the rambunctious streak she had developed. Even he had trouble controlling her at times, his lectures or scolding's doing little to dampen her childish spirit, now that she had found it. It was as if she were making up for lost time, not that he could blame her. She was a child, after all, and she was on the verge of becoming a young woman. She didn't have much time left to act like a child and honestly, he wanted her to enjoy every moment of it. Granted he didn't have much of one growing up.

Levi didn't even attempt to beat her for her misbehavior. The girl could handle anything he threw at her and whenever he had smacked her for doing something that he deemed too much, she seemed more upset that he was angry with her than having been hit. He had seen her accidently drop one of the larger kitchen knives, only for her to blink calmly at the large gash that ran down the front of her arm. _"I got cut."_ she had stated after turning her attention toward him, her features calm as her blood traveled down her arm, over the curve of her elbow, and fell down to the floor. She held up her arm for him to see and the male had vaguely wondered if she felt the pain at all. What he didn't understand even more than her lack of expressing pain was how she managed to drop the knife in such a way that caused such a large cut.

The more time he spent with her, the more she began to express herself and the less he understood her. How could such an enigma exist in this world?

It was one such day when she took him completely by surprise; he had no idea how to react to such a situation.

He was standing in front of the kitchen sink, wiping a cup he had just cleaned with a piece of cloth. His back was to the front door and the room was quiet with only the murmurs of Isabel and Farlan on the couch. They were discussing when they would go on their next heist into the city since their provisions were getting low. Levi had been offered a small job from some gang leader that would pay him decent money, but he wouldn't be able to complete it for another few days. He had to wait for the right time, but that didn't fix their problem now.

That's why a certain pinkette had left a few hours earlier. Apparently she had stumbled upon something that was so unusual and important that she had wanted to keep it secret. 'A surprise.' she had told him before she ran off. Levi wasn't sure what to expect from her, but by now, he had learned to expect the unexpected.

The dark haired male had been reluctant when he watched her leave the small house. Not only because he didn't know what she would return with, but also because despite his earlier warning of 'kill or be killed', the female had yet to bring herself to kill anybody. He noticed that she was still a target of other peoples' amusement, having insults and looks that varied between disgust and curiosity thrown at her.

Levi didn't mind the curiosity, but he found himself irritated with how people treated her in general. He knew that she wouldn't stand up for herself if she were to be attacked again. Though she had begun to heal and her heart began to repair, it was still in shambles when it concerned the world outside of their small house.

The male would sometimes leave at separate times whenever Sakura would go out and trail behind her at a distance to where she wouldn't notice him. She had caught him quite a few times before though and she hadn't been pleased. She didn't say anything to him about it, but she made her displeasure apparent by either a scowl or pout.

Levi wasn't sure how she kept noticing him, but she seemed to have keen senses, especially when someone was following her. That was the main reason why he hadn't followed her this time around. With whatever she was bringing back a surprise, he didn't want to risk her throwing a tantrum. She had thrown a few before and it always left him with a headache.

The sound of something running up the steps quickly and a loud, strange squealing noise had Levi turning around to look at the door. The other two on the couch didn't have time to turn their attention to the door before it burst open, resonating with a loud bang and one could have sworn that it was knocked out of place.

The dark haired male nearly dropped the newly cleaned cup to the floor and his grey eyes widened as he watched the scene unfold in front of him, leaving him completely flabbergasted.

Sakura had rode in, charging through the front door and circling around the clean room, on a large, brownish hog. The loud squealing continued to escape out through its snout and it kicked its back hooves into the air while it twirled and circled around the room. The creature was covered with mud and it tracked it all over the floor.

The pink haired child gripped onto a layer of loose skin around its neck and her eyes were closed while joyous laughs escaped her bright smile. The others stared at the scene in stunned bewilderment, trying to wrap their minds around what was going on.

The first to act was Isabel, jumping off of the couch and rushing toward the door when the hog decided to make a break for it, having decided that it didn't like the cramped space the pinkette led it to. The redhead swiftly shut the door and slid herself in front of it, her eyes and smile excited at the thought of eating meat. "You're not going anywhere."

The hog immediately halted before the female, causing the one on its back to fly forward slightly at the abrupt stop. Letting out more high pitched screeches, the animal swiftly turned and headed for the bathroom, knocking the door open in the process. The hog didn't expect the tub to be right in its path after having entered through the door at such a fast speed. It skidded to a stop before it could collide with the object. This time, the female on its back lost her grip on the skin and flew forward. Letting out a yell, Sakura found herself colliding face first with the wall above the tub, a loud thud echoing throughout the room, before falling down into it ungracefully.

Sakura let out a low groan, her body upside-down in the tub while her legs hung over her shoulders, her rear end hanging high in the air above her. Her eyes were clenched shut and she could hear the hog running around in the living room more. She could also hear Isabel and Farlan yelling as they tried to catch it.

The pinkette took a moment to compose herself before she spun onto her feet and jumped out of the tub. She ran back into the living room where the creature was standing still in the center, having a face-off with the duo as they slouched down a bit in front of him and to his side. With a bright smile on her face, the child jumped toward the hog and spread out her arms and legs. She landed on the animal with a loud thud as its body collapsed under the sudden weight.

Sakura wrapped her arms and legs around the creature, holding down its legs in an attempt to keep it from moving. It struggled against her, trying to pull itself up in an attempt to escape, still releasing squeals.

The pinkette kept her gaze downward and with a smile, she said, "Farlan, go get a knife. You have to cut the balls off before we eat it."

Farlan leaned back slightly and frowned, taken aback and slightly disgusted by her comment. "Ehh. Why me?"

She didn't reply though when someone knocked rather harshly and impatiently on the door. All gazes turned to the door, even Levi's, who had been previously watching the show with mild amusement and disgust at the mess.

"We're not home!" Sakura called out to whoever was at the door.

"Open this damn door before I break it down!" the man yelled behind the door.

Everyone stared at the door, unblinking and unmoving, but all it took was a few moments for Levi to walk across the living room and reach the door, his cup having been placed on the counter. The dark haired male was calm as he opened it and they were met with the sight of three gruff looking men. Each had hair shaved down to their scalps and blocked shaped heads. If they were back in her world, Sakura would describe them as wannabe pirates from the way they carried themselves. Their shoulders were pulled back, trying to show off their muscular shoulders in their baggy and sleeveless shirts. However, their muscular arms with their bulging veins did nothing to intimidate Sakura or the short man standing in the doorway. They were all at least two heads taller than him, but still Levi didn't back down.

"That brat stole our hog and we're taking it back." the man in front stated, his glare settling over on the pinkette.

Sakura frowned and furrowed her brows, a look of confused defiance on her features. She still hugged the animal underneath her and it seemed to regain some strength as it slowly crawled across the floor, heading toward the direction of the couch. "Ehh, there's no hog here."

"Why you." the man growled at her and leaned forward slightly, his anger and irritation clear for all to see.

Levi had glanced back at Sakura when she had replied and he returned his gaze to the tall man in front of him. With his eyes narrowed slightly and his mouth set into a firm line, he said, "You heard her." The man looked down at him and he added, "There's no hog here."

The man's anger grew and he clenched his fists before he began to yell, "You've gotta be ki-", but he was cut off abruptly by a door slamming shut in his face.

Levi closed his eyes and turned around, heading back toward the small kitchen. Since his eyes were closed, he didn't see the reactions of the others, but he could still imagine them. Sakura had her eyes closed while a bright smile adorned her lips, an amused giggle leaving her. Farlan was smiling sheepishly while Isabel was outright grinning at what had just transpired.

The dark haired male was pleased when the men didn't make any attempt to further disturb them, but that didn't mean that they wouldn't be seeing them again. He would have to make sure that he kept a closer eye on Sakura for a while, whether she liked it or not. Especially if she was going around stealing animals.

"Farlan, you gotta cut off the balls." said pinkette repeated calmly and ironically, innocently.

"Why me?"

-SCENE CHANGE-

The fiasco with the hog had ended quickly, much to Levi's relief and much to his satisfaction, Sakura had cleaned up the entire mess caused by it. Farlan had asked her where she had gotten it, but Levi didn't think she gave him a reply. She most likely got it from one of the illegal traders. They had small farms on the outskirts, hidden between other buildings and they were generally kept secret from other citizens. Animals such as hogs and goats were bred within the small space and traded for money to citizens above the surface.

How the small child knew of the farms or where they even were, Levi didn't know. He probably didn't want to know where she got her information from. Although she most likely stumbled upon it herself during her many solo escapades. She had probably discovered places within this underground cage that he had no clue about. It wouldn't be surprising if she pulled him off to join her on one of her adventures one day, only for him to be left dumbstruck by the discovery.

Although he liked the thought of her having gained a sense of adventure and her antics never failed to amuse him to a degree, he found himself enjoying her presence the most when she was calm. She had an intelligence that was far greater than an average adult and she could carry on a conversation of any topic with any of them. When she found herself comfortable enough to rummage through his room, much to his chagrin, she had found all the books he kept on his dresser. He kept over a dozen, turning to them when he was bored and had nothing better to do, but she had read them all in less than a week.

Most of all, Levi enjoyed the moments where she would sit beside him on the couch while Farlan and Isabel did their own thing, leaving them in the house by themselves. He would always have something to occupy himself with, a cup of tea and a book, or something or other. The female would sit next to him quietly in a daze of her own thoughts. They would sit and simply enjoy each other's company, neither feeling obligated to strike up a conversation.

There would be times when they would speak, casually talking about things that didn't really matter. Other times, on rare occasions, she would fall asleep next to him and lean her head against his shoulder.

She was sitting on the couch beside him, her hands on the cushion by her sides and her legs swinging back and forth. She was looking ahead of her while he read the book he held in his lap, his tea cup on the table in front of him.

"Ne, Levi-sama."

"What is it?"

Sakura kept swinging her legs back and forth lazily, her gaze on the table in front of her, but she didn't focus on it. "I've decided what I want to do with my life."

"What is that?" he asked, his eyes still trailing over the words in his book, mild curiosity settling in his mind from the female beside him.

"I'm going to destroy the underground city."

Levi looked over at the small female beside him, surprised, but he kept his face neutral. "What do you mean?"

The pinkette kept her calm gaze ahead of her, her legs still swinging back and forth. She didn't appear to have much concern on the subject from the look on her face, but her words suggested otherwise. "People aren't meant to be held up in some hole. We need sunlight to survive."

A gloomy darkness settled over her green eyes while her pink brow furrowed. "People are getting sick, they're starving, and they're being forced to do things they don't want to do in order to survive."

"You say that like you aren't one of them." he replied, his cool gaze still on her and he watched each emotion varying around sadness swimming through her eyes.

"I'm different."

"How so?"

Sakura's expression softened and the smallest semblance of a smile grazed her lips. "I have Levi-sama by my side."

The male didn't bother to stop the scoff that left his lips and he turned his attention back to the book in his hand. Honestly. Children. He wasn't even going to indulge the girl anymore. The whole idea to destroy the underground cities was ludicrous to begin with. "How can someone that can't even kill destroy a city?" Okay, maybe he would indulge her a little bit.

A thoughtful hum escaped the female's throat and she seemed to resign the thought for the time being with a huff, "I don't know."

"This is why you're still a kid."

"Iie." she replied and he instantly recognized a teasing lilt in her tone, "I'm still a kid 'cause I haven't had my period yet."

Levi let out an exhausted groan and decided that that was it for him. He closed his book and stood up from the couch, quickly making his escape. He tossed the book onto the couch and ignored the calls of "Levi-sama?" following his back while he made his way to his bedroom.

"Levi-sama!"

~END OF CHAPTER TWO~

Please review! I might make the next chapter more angsty, but in the next two or three chapters, I plan on going into the time they join the scouts. Look forward to it~!


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